RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AGROBACTERIUM-RHIZOGENES TRANSFORMED HAIRY ROOTS AND INTACT, UNINFECTED NICOTIANA PLANTS

Hairy root clutures were obtained following infection of a range of Nicotiana species [N. rustica, N. tabacum, N. hesperis, N. africana, N. ambratica, N. velutina and N. cavicola] with Agrobacterium rhizogenes. Such cultures synthesized alkaloids in amounts which closely reflected, in both qualitative and quantitative terms, the biosynthetic capacity of roots from the uninfected parent species or variety. Cultures also released alkaloids from the roots into the growth medium. Such release was not however correlated with the ability of intact plants to mobilize alkaloids from the roots to aerial parts. The predictable nature of many aspects of secondary product synthesis in hairy roots should be advantageous to the development of biotechnological processes.